Radiation does seem to cause pains in the treated breast - that's what my doctors said - surgeon and oncologist. It gets better but I'm guessing my poor boob will never feel like before all the radiation. At first, I was wishing I had skipped the radiation because I had no pain and breast looked almost same as the other before radiatin. But the docs stress that radiation is soooo important. Even the conservative docs who tell people they can skip chemo, so guess we did the right thing.
Jean

Hi sister, I am 4 years post radiation, 2 broken ribs. EEEk, but just the last few weeks I can NOW sleep on that side. I don't think it is the surgery, I have had lots of that, I think it is "rib softening" or something like it. Anyway, I am getting better, so don't worry. Hugs, Shirlann

I'm in the same boat. I'm about 2 months out of radiation now. I had chemo before that. I got pretty burned, but healed quickly. At my 6 week check-up, I was a little swollen, but thought I was going to escape anything more - what was I thinking?
I'm now more swollen, I've got the thick, orange peely skin thing going along with pain. I even had to order some larger bras to accomodate the swelling and I wasn't small to begin with :-) Oh well - I'm just hoping that it will eventually return to a more normal state and that the radiation did it's job. Diane

Sorry to say I'm developing pain in chest just below collar bone that they think is related to radiation. That was May 2001. They say the radiation causes fibrosis, the muscles scar and get tight. Exercise and occassional pain meds help me. Can't complain to much, at least I'm still here with my boys. God is good! Hummingbyrd

I had been badly burned from the radiation and kept it pretty well "lubed up" with creams and took sponge baths. The less I touched my skin the better. I was a bit swollen under my armpit, but the tiredness didn't go away for months. Keep on going. I always thought of so many other people in much worse condition than me!

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